Hey all! As you might know, the Sydney Writers’ Festival’s All-Day-YA sessions were yesterday. If you were like me and unfortunately couldn’t make it — or are based interstate — then you’re in for a treat.

I have the lovely Jenna Guillaume on the blog today, answering some questions that I’ve been dying to ask. From first fandoms to the trope she hates the most.

Thanks to the lovely people at Walker Books Australia, I’m bringing to the blog today an extract Q&A with the one and only…Patrick Ness!…that will appear in the back of A Monster Calls: Special Collector’s Edition.

I’m sure most of you know about his upcoming book-turned-film, A Monster Calls (which I’m SO DARN EXCITED TO SEE BY THE WAY). Now you get to hear a bit more about it below.

A Monster Calls: Special Collector’s Edition is a deluxe hardcover edition of Patrick Ness’ masterpiece featuring the entire illustrated novel as well as more than one hundred pages of extraordinary film-inspired content. It is available now at all good booksellers.

A Monster Calls film kicks off in cinemas around Australia from July 27.

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming the lovely L.A. Weatherly, author of the bestselling Angelseries, to chat about her new trilogy, Broken Sky.

For fans of Disruption and Divergent, Broken Sky welcomes readers to a new ‘utopian’ world where war is illegal and the date of your birth marks your destiny. Set in a distorted echo of 1940s America, the trilogy is full of deception, heartbreak and rebellion. And it follows a young pilot (how cool is that?!) called Amity who is battling to maintain peace in a world full of double agents, suspicions, and betrayal.

Interview

1.What would you define as the ‘perfect’ world?

For me personally, it’s a world where champagne and dark chocolate truffles appear by a snap of my fingers, preferably while I lounge on my private beach in the Caribbean. For my characters…well, definitely not the world they’re living in!

2.Broken Sky is very different to your bestselling Angel series. What gave you the inspiration to write this new series?

You know, I actually have no idea. Usually with my books I can point to what sparked the concept – with the Angel series, it was seeing a non-fiction display of books about angels. With Broken Sky, I was having dinner with my husband in our favourite Thai restaurant, and the idea literally just popped into my head: what if there was a world where conflicts between nations were resolved by two fighter pilots going up against each other in Spitfires (which became Firedoves in the story)?

Then I got very excited and interrupted whatever my husband was saying to enthuse about my new fictional world for the rest of the night. (He’s used to it. He’s married to a writer.)

3.How did you go about picking the name ‘Amity’ for the main character? Did she have a different name that evolved as you made changes to the first draft?

Great question, and yes, she did. Amity was originally called ‘Danni’, but I somehow couldn’t make the character come to life with that name. It just didn’t feel right. Then I started thinking about the world – this society based on the ideal that war is the ultimate evil – and realised that a name that was a synonym for ‘peace’ would work far better. When I came across ‘Amity’, I knew it was perfect (and she started talking to me then!).

And you didn’t ask, but here’s a bonus answer: Collie had a different name to start with, too. He was Chase. In fact, several of my main characters pretty much demanded new names all at the same time. It was a frustrating few weeks (renaming characters is HARD), but I think I found the perfect names in the end!

4.If Broken Sky was offered to be turned into either a TV series or movie (and only one of them!), which one would you choose and why?

Ooh, tough question. Can I choose the director? If I could have Joss Whedon, he could do whatever he wanted with it. Otherwise, I think I’d have to go for a TV series. So many of them are done brilliantly these days, and you have more room to explore the story and the characters.

5.Who would be your ideal cast?

Even tougher question! I really don’t know who I’d choose for Amity – someone new, maybe, so that we don’t have any preconceived ideas about her. For Collie, I think Keegan Allen has the right look. For Ingo, a young Rufus Sewell type would be perfect. (I’d love to hear what your readers’ answers would be for this, actually!)

Thanks so much for the great questions!”

Thank you so much to L.A Weatherly for taking the time to do this interview, and HarperCollins Australia for setting it up!

Welcome to a ‘perfect’ world. Where war is illegal, where harmony rules. And where your date of birth marks your destiny. But nothing is perfect. And in a world this broken, who can Amity trust? Set in a daring and distorted echo of 1940s America, the BROKEN trilogy is an exhilarating epic of deception, heartbreak and rebellion.

Amity is a teen pilot, battling in one-on-one combat to maintain peace in a world where war has been replaced by dogfights. But when Amity discovers the organisation she works for is corrupt, she begins to question everything. In this society of double agents, suspicion and betrayal, nobody is quite what they seem …

The first in a brand-new YA trilogy with an exhilarating mix of irresistible romance, breath-taking action and thrilling mystery. Effortlessly fuses the old-style glamour of 1940s America with the corrupt menace of a futuristic world in a hugely original twist on the steampunk genre – Blitzpunk.

Hey guys, this week I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing the lovely Lyla Payne, with thanks to Bloomsbury Australia. Lyla is currently down in Australia with her friend and took some time to visit Bloomsbury HQ in Sydney.

The wonderful Sonia from Bloomsbury reached out to a Jaz @ Fiction in Fiction in Fiction and I to come into the office so we could meet Lyla and have a quick chat over some snacks. We both managed to do a quick interview, but the rest of the time was spent chatting books and comparing life in the US with life in Australia.

The standout topic that was discussed revolved around university life, and what being in a sorority/fraternity was really like. Was it as crazy as the books/tv shows/movie suggests? Answer: Yes and no. Unfortunately, this was discussed after we asked our ‘real profesh’ interview questions (read: lel) so I don’t have it recorded.

Other than that, please welcome *drum roll* . . . Lyla Payne!!

1. The NA genre generally focuses on contemporary romance settings. You broke away from that with your Lowcountry Mysteries series. Is there a different genre within NA that you would like to tap into?

My young-adult books are science fiction, so I think it will be really fun to explore sci-fi in NA. Unfortunately the NA genre hasn’t really changed even though other authors have tried, like in Red Hill with zombies. It seems like the NA readers just want romance.

2. Mistletoe and Mr Right is set in beautiful Ireland. What influences the backdrop for your books and how do you capture the culture of these countries through words?

I actually went to Ireland and I stayed in the place where the book is set. I did not have a book planned set in Ireland when I went there, but the editor at Spark approached me and asked if I would do a Christmas novella, and I said yeah … I can set it in Ireland! It’s a really beautiful place … and everybody really likes Irish boys and their accents, so I thought it would be good.

3. What is the inspiration behind your novels and characters?

Gosh, sometimes it’s people I know, sometimes it’s people I wish I knew. Jessica from Mistletoe and Mr Right is a little bit of my college friends, who were pretty uptight. I went to a private school in Texas and the joke was that most of the people there were there to get their MRS degree. So, to get married and find a husband. I feel like it’s changing in other parts of the States, but in the middle parts its very much still like you’ll get married and settle down and have kids. Jessica is a little uptight like that, she has a plan. I know a lot of girls like that. The south is still very traditional, a lot of people get married straight after high school.

I found that between 20-30 was when I changed the most. If you got married when you were 21/22, you kind of have to hope that it works out, y’know? Because you both will change and grow. I dunno, that’s my two cents. Jessica and a lot of reviewers are like ‘she’s crazy’, and I’m like I know a lot of girls like her.

4. Are there standout characters that constantly call to you, refusing to accept that you’ve finished writing their stories already?

Yes, like you mentioned the Lowcountry series and the main character in that, Gracie, I feel like she has a lot more stories to tell. Sometimes a series is over, but it’s still hard to put it down. My first series was a four book YA series, and I feel like this sometimes. I don’t think I will go back to them — I’m happy about how it ended, but it’s kind of hard to say goodbye when you spend so much time with the characters.

5. What book or series do you wish you had written?

Probably the Shadow and Bone books, I’m totally jealous of her and her writing. I love really great villains, and I really want to write a really great villain someday.

About Lyla Payne

I’ve been publishing New Adult romance novels for a little over a year, starting with Broken at Love and continuing with the rest of the Whitman University series. I adore telling stories, discovering the little reasons people fall in love, and uncovering hidden truths in the world around us – past and present.

In my spare time I cuddle my two dogs, pretend to enjoy exercising so that I can eat as much Chipotle as I want, and harbor a deep and abiding hope that Zac Efron likes older women. I loves reading, of course, along with movies, traveling, and Irish whiskey.

I’m hard at work, ALWAYS, and hope to bring you more Whitman University antics and at least one more Lowcountry ghost tale before the end of the year.

Not only did they invite us to join in on the review blitz, but they also invited us to interview the lovely author as well. You may know her from her tear-jerking books like If I Stay and Just One Day.

Thank you so much to S&S for organising the interview and review blitz. And of course to Gayle for taking the time to answer our burning questions!

Synopsis: From the bestselling author of If I Stay – this summer’s YA blockbuster film.

This characteristically powerful novel follows eighteen-year-old Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend’s shocking suicide.

As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she begins a journey of self-discovery which takes her to a terrifying precipice, and forces her to question not only her relationship with the Meg she thought she knew, but her own understanding of life, love, death and forgiveness.

A phenomenally moving story, I Was Here explores the sadly all-too-familiar issue of suicide and self-harm, addressing it in an authentic way with sensitivity and honesty.

Hello and welcome to my stop of The Jewel blog tour! Today I have a double whammy and will be sharing an interview with the lovely author, Amy, as well as a mini review for the book 😀

Author Interview with Amy Ewing

Hi Amy! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions.

1. I read in your bio that your mother is a librarian. How exciting! What are the top five childhood books that influenced you to become a writer?

She is! And my grandmother used to mend books for her local library, so books have always been treated with the highest respect in my family. My top five childhood books would have to be: The BFG by Roald Dahl, Little Women by Lousia May Alcott, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien.

2. What influenced you to write a novel like The Jewel? I see you’ve studied to be an actress, did that play a role in the characters you created?

Acting has definitely helped me with character development—that was one of my favourite parts of being an actor, creating a rich, fully developed character that felt like a real person. The concept for The Jewel came from watching the movie Taken, with Liam Neeson. Yeah, not really the place you’d expect, but there it is. There’s a scene where his daughter (the one who gets taken) is paraded onto this stage and bid on by wealthy men to serve as a sex slave. I watched that scene and thought, what if it was women buying this girl instead of men? And that’s how the Auction, and Violet’s story, came to life.

3. What would you say to readers that are comparing your book to The Selection series, but have yet to read The Jewel?

I would say read The Jewel! But I’d say that to anyone, regardless of whether or not they are a Selection fan. Both books have palaces and gowns and parties, so if you liked those parts of The Selection, you’ll hopefully like those parts of The Jewel. Reading is so subjective—I think The Jewel is a little darker than The Selection, so if darkness is your thing, then do I have a story for you! It’s all about each individual reader’s taste. The Selection is a great series, and I certainly hope fans of those books will love The Jewel too.

4. If you can only read one author for the rest of your life, who would it be?

Gah! What a tough question! Okay, I’ll say Neil Gaiman because I love his darkness, his wit, and his beautifully bizarre imagination.

5. Sum up The Jewel in one sentence.

It’s about a city where young girls are auctioned off as surrogates to royal women who can no longer have children naturally on their own.

Hi everyone, please help me welcome Barbara Shoup, the author of Looking for Jack Kerouac on the blog today! I’ve honestly only heard of Jack Kerouac in passing, having never studied him or his work previously. This interview gave me the opportunity to finally research him, and I must say some of his work is just beautiful.

But without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to Barbara who has penned an amazing eight books. Wow!

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Title: Looking for Jack Kerouac

Synopsis: “When Paul Carpetti discovers “On the Road” in Greenwich Village while on a class trip to New York City, the world suddenly cracks open and he sees that life could be more than the college degree his mother is determined for him to achieve, a good job and, eventually, marriage to his girlfriend, Kathy. But upon his return, his mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer and his world falls apart.

Set in 1964, “Looking for Jack Kerouac” tells the story of how Paul’s dreams of a different life and his grief at the loss of his mother set him on a road trip with his rowdy friend, Duke, that includes a wild night on Music Row in Nashville, an all-too-real glimpse of glimpse of racism; and an encounter with a voluptuous mermaid named Lorelei – landing him in St. Petersburg, where he finds real friendship and, in time, Jack Kerouac. By then a ruined man, living with his mother, Kerouac is nothing like the person Paul has traveled so far to meet.

Yet, in the end, it is Kerouac who gives him the key that opens up the next phase of his life.”

Happy Monday everyone! Today on the blog, I’d like to welcome an author that not only didn’t take the traditional road of publishing, but went beyond that! His novel Summoner: Origins is a fantasy told in a very unique way. Unique in the sense that I’ve never come across such an awesome method of story-telling. A. G. Macdonald mixes audio with video to develop a web-novel. It’s really hard to explain, but trust me, it’s pretty awesome!

Check out the trailer and interview below because he definitely explains it a lot better than I just did.

Hi guys! I’ve been lucky enough to interview an Aussie author today, whose book Nymph debuted last month with Walker Books Australia. I’m a huge fan of mythology and fantasy, so when I heard this book was about Greek mythology, I couldn’t stop the premature gushing.

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Title: Nymph

Series: The Love Oracles #1

Author: Tonya Alexandra

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young-Adult

Publication Date: 1st February 2014

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Synopsis: “An idyllic Greek island. Obsessed demigods. A fallen nymph. A mortal boy. Merope, a beautiful but faded star nymph, is banished to Earth for displeasing the gods. She tries to fit in, go to school and live a normal “human” life. And then she meets Lukas … but relationships between men and goddesses are forbidden. Will their love grow? Or will Merope and Lukas feel the wrath of the gods?” (Taken from Goodreads)

Hi guys, today on the blog we have the wonderful Aussie author – drum roll please! – Tara Eglington. If you’ve read my reviews for How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You and How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You, then you would know that I really liked the Aurora Skye series. The series is not just humourous, but has many relevant messages for its readers. I wish I had a copy of these books back in high school. Reading about drama is always better than living it!

Tara has kindly taken the time out to answer a few questions and is offering up a copy of both her Aurora Skye books to three lucky winners! If you’re looking for a cute summer read at the beach, definitely enter this giveaway.

Interview with Tara Eglington

1. Where did you get the inspiration for the Aurora Skye series? Are the books based on real life events?

Looking back, the inspiration for the series came from many different things – however when I read through my teenage diaries the genesis of the first book is DEFINITELY there – quite a few of Auroras Rules of Attraction were my own scribbled down findings aged 16 or 17! Like Aurora, I thought I knew everything about love and dating and was always giving out advice to my besties – despite never having had a boyfriend myself. I had hugely high standards about waiting for my ‘prince’ and strict criteria that he was supposed to meet. I recently found the list of ideal qualities and its eight pages front and back, which gave me a good giggle!!! The series really sums up the gorgeous faith and idealism that you have about love during your early teen years – and which I still try to hold onto now that I’m older and a little more practical.

In terms of being based on real life events, there is admittedly quite a few crossovers – I DID fall out of a car and into a puddle, just like Aurora. However my incident didn’t come about via a Stop Kiss manoeuvre, it was due to my pulling down the passenger side flip-down mirror and finding a saucer sized spider on it. Being severely spider-phobic, I literally threw open my door whilst the car was pulling into our driveway and launched myself out the door and into the puddle just below, cutting my palm open on the driveway rocks. The whole situation was so embarrassing and ridiculous that I just had to adapt it into an Aurora sequence. Other based-on-real-life moments from the series include Aurora’s general clumsiness (I seem plagued by spills and falls in my day to day life), the interpretive dance teacher (yes, teachers that crazy really do exist!), Operation Stop Kiss, and a boy as gorgeous, talented, smart and cheeky as Hayden Paris (I’ll never reveal who)!

Basically, I was a teenager obsessed with love and romance (to the point where I once used a statistics class to sneakily conduct surveys of what my classmates found attractive in the opposite sex) and its not highly surprising that I wound up creating a character who wanted to be a matchmaker!

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Disclaimer

The books and items reviewed on Thoughts By J are purchased by us unless explicitly specified. We occasionally receive books for review from Australian publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thoughts By J does not receive monetary compensation for our reviews or posts.